Chemical electro-chemical systems



Oct. 5, 1965 T. H. LAKEN 3,209,732

CHEMICAL ELECTED-CHEMICAL SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 10, 1963 United StatesPatent 3,209,732 CHEMICAL ELECTROCHEMICAL SYSTEMS Thomas H. Laken, 101153rd St., Kenosha, Wis. Filed Oct. 10, 1963, SE31. No. 315,326 3 Claims.(Cl. 122--504) This invention relates, in general, to certain new anduseful improvements in chemical and/ or electro-chemical systems, orsystems having like characteristics, and more particularly to a safetydevice for automatically preventing accidental return of damagingchemicals or corrosive liquids that may have been inadvertently includedin the condensate being returned to a steam boiler.

Included in tanks are chemical solutions of various kinds. Thesesolutions are heated by steam passing through the coils immersed in suchsolutions and mounted in the tanks. The steam passing through the coilswill spend its heat in the solutions and, as condensate, return to theboiler to be reconverted again to steam. An always present danger liesin the possible failure of the coil, whereby the chemical solution mayleak into the condensate. When this happens, the solution is directed tothe boiler with the very pressing danger of permanent destruction of theboiler.

The object of my invention, therefore, is to install a safety device inthe line returning the condensate to the boiler, with said device havinga soluble disk therein which can quickly be dissolved by the chemicalsolution so that the contaminated condensate can be diverted fromreturning to the boiler and instead be directed to a drain.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention,but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modificationscan be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereuntoappended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic showing of chemical and/ or electro-chemicaldevice, of my present invention, included therein:

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the safetydevice, parts being broken away, to show the safety device in normaloperating condition.

Referring in detail to the drawings, FIGURE 2 shows a T-shaped fitting,designated generally by the number 10. This fitting has a longitudinallyextending, unrestricted passageway 11, with the internal surface 12threaded at each end to have threaded connection with the conduits 13and 14 of the condensate return line generally designated by numeral 15.The depending por tion 16 of the fitting has a passageway 17 in directcommunication with the passageway 11. This portion 16 has its end 19open to provide drainage, as will be hereinafter described.

A shoulder 20 is formed internally near the top of the portion 16,adjacent the passageway 11. The passage 17 is normally closed byinserting a soluble metal disk 21 of zinc, aluminum or other suitablemetal through the end 19 and caused to bear against the surface 22 ofthe shoulder 20. This disk is of slightly less diameter than thepassageway 17 so it can be readily inserted therein and held inoperative relationship by a hollow insert 23. This insert may bethreadedly mounted, as shown herein, or through any other suitablemanner. For ease in removal, the insert is notched at 24.

Considering now FIGURE 1 of the drawings which discloses a schematicchemical and/or electro-chemical system for the automatic operation ofthis safety device,

3,209,732 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 there is provided therein a boiler 25,having a conduit 26, through which steam is delivered to a. coil 27,contained and immersed in chemical solutions contained in a tank 28.These chemical solutions can be of various kinds, acid or alkaline innature. The coil is in direct communication with the conduit 13 whichdelivers or re turns the condensate after the steam has dispensed itsheat to the solution.

The conduit 13 is threaded to the fitting 10, as herebefore explained.

Under normal operating conditions with no fault in the system, the steamwill pass through the conduit 26 into the coil 27, and as the steamcondenses by the dispensing of its heat to the chemical solution in thetank, such condensate is returned to the boiler through the conduit 13the passageway 11 in the T-shaped fitting and the conduit 14.

In rare instances, the coil 27 in the tank or the connections of thecoil with the conduits 26 or 13 may break. When this occurs, thechemical solutions in the tank, one of which, as previously stated, canbe acid or alkaline in nature which will mix with the condensate withsaid contaminated condensate flowing through the conduit 13 toward theboiler. If such contaminated condensate was permitted to reach theboiler, the corrosive damage to the boiler would be so severe as topermanently damage the boiler.

I provide, therefore, in the return condensate conduit, the T-fitting ofmy invention. When the contaminated condensate reaches the fitting, thechemicals will immediately dissolve the disk 21 so that instead offlowing to the boiler, the acid or alkaline contaminated condensate willbe discharged through the hollow insert 23.

Protection is sought in the light of these explanations for basicfeatures of the invention, in addition to protection for more specificillustrated and described features.

I claim:

1. The combination in a chemical and electro-chemical processing systemhaving a steam boiler and a processing tank, said tank holding an acidor alkaline mixture, a coil in said tank, means for transferring steamfrom said boiler to said coil, return means for transferring condensatefrom said coil to said boiler, a protective device in connection withsaid return means providing unrestricted passageway to permitsubstantially uncontaminated condensate to return to said boiler, saiddevice having a passageway open to a drain which is normally closed by asoluble metal disk, said disk adapted to be dissolved upon introductionof an acid or alkaline contaminated mixture into said condensate wherebysaid contaminated condensate is directed through said drain and divertedfrom returning to said boiler.

2. The combination in a chemical and electro-c-hemical processing systemhaving a steam boiler and a processing tank, said tank holding an acidor alkaline mixture, a coil in said tank, means for transferring steamfrom said boiler to said coil, and return means for transferringcondensate from said coil to said boiler a T-shaped protective device inconnection with said return means providing unrestrictive passageway topermit substantially uncontaminated condensate to return to said boiler,said device having a passageway open to a drain which is normally closedby a soluble disk, said soluble disk being of less diameter than saidlast named passageway and readily insertable therein, a hollow insertthreadedly mounted in said passageway and adapted to hold said disk inoperative position, said disk adapted to be dissolved upon introductionof said acid or alkaline contaminated mixture from said tank into saidcondensate whereby said contaminated condensate is directed through saidhollow insert and diverted from returning to said boiler.

3. The combination in a chemical and electrochemical system having asteam boiler and processing tank, said tank holding an acid or alkalinemixture, a coil in said tank, means for transferring steam from saidboiler to said coil, and return means for transferring condensate fromsaid coil to said boiler, said return means comprising two sections ofconduit separated by a T- shaped fitting in which an end of each of saidconduits is threadedly mounted therein, said fitting having anunrestricted passageway in communication with said conduits to permitsubstantially uncontaminated condensate to return to said boiler, saidfitting having a passageway open to a drain which is normally closed bya soluble disk, a shoulder provided in the wall of said last namedpassageway, said soluble disk being of less diameter than said lastnamed passageway and readily insertable therein, a hollow insertthreadedly mounted in said last named References Cited by the ExaminerUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,347,202 4/44 Lindsay 137-67 2,658,728 11/53Evans 165-11 X 2,911,988 11/59 Ravn 137-67 2,991,793 7/61 Whitlock et a1137-67 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Examiner.

1. THE COMBINATION IN A CHEMICAL AND ELECTRO-CHEMICAL PROCESSING SYSTEMHAVING A STEAM BOILER AND A PROCESSING TANK, SAID TANK HOLDING AN ACIDOR ALKALINE MIXTURE, A COIL IN SAID TANK, MEANS FOR TRANSFEERRING STEAMFROM SAID BOILER TO SAID COIL, RETURN MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING CONDENSATEFROM SAID COIL TO SAID BOILER, A PROTECTIVE DEVICE IN CONNECTION WITHSAID RETURN MEANS PROVIDING UNRESTRICTED PASSAGEWAY TO PERMITSUBSTANTIALLY UNCONTAMINATED CONDENSATE TO RETURN TO SAID BOILER, SAIDDEVICE HAVING A PASSAGEWAY OPEN TO A DRAIN WHICH IS NORMALLY CLOSED BY ASOLUBLE METAL DISK, SAID DISK ADAPTED TO BE DISSOLVED UPON INTRODUCTIONOF AN ACID OR ALKALINE CONTAMINATED MIXTURE INTO SAID CONDENSATE WHEREBYSAID CONTAMINATED CONDENSATE IS DIRECTED THROUGH SAID DRAIN AND DIVERTEDFROM RETURNING TO SAID BOILER.